Motor Australia — January 2018

132 january 2018 motormag.com.au

Aston Martin http://www.astonmartin.com

V12 Vantage S

11113

$354,300 (7s) V12/5.9 4 21/6750 620/5750rear 1665253 3.9 – 16.3 Psychotic performance, with dynamics and looks to match

Lacks the V8’s styling purity; frighteningly thirsty

V12 Vantage S Roadster

11113

$385,800 (7s) V12/5.9 4 21/6750 620/5750rear 1745241 3.9 – 16.3 Magic engine noise; sweet dynamics for a drop-top

Lots of power for an open-top body; gearbox frustrates

DB11 V8

11113

$ 3 6 8 , 0 0 0 ( 8 a ) V8/4.0TT375/6000675/2000rear 1760213 4.0 – 11.4 More sporting setup; awesome soundtrack

V12ownerswilllookdownonyou;notmuchelse

DB11

11113

$ 4 2 8 , 0 3 2 ( 8 a ) V12/5.2TT 4 4 7 / 6 5 0 07 0 0/1500rear 1770253 3.9 – 11.3 Delicious twin-turbo V12; beautifully resolved chassis

Looks are divisive; spot the Mercedes bits inside

Vanquish S

11113

$489,950 (8a) V12/5.9 444/7000630/5500rear 1739255 3.5 – 13.1 Vanquish better than ever in its twilight years

Ride is not very GT-like; thirsty

Vanquish S Volante

11123

$ 5 2 6 , 9 5 0 ( 8 a ) V12/5.9 444/7000630/5500rear 1844241 – – 13.1 Carbon-fibre construction should mean no loss of rigidity

Scarypricetag;noAstonpresscarsinOz

Rapide S

11133

$ 3 8 2 , 5 0 0 ( 8 a ) V12/5.9 4 11/6650 630/5500rear 1990207 4.9 – – Nowhasthepowertomatchitsjaw-droppinglooks

Rear seats really just for kids; small boot

Audi http://www.audi.com.au

A1 1.8 TFSI Sport

11123

Aug 15 $40,400 (7dc) I4/1.8T 1 41 / 5 4 0 0 250/1250XRJfront 1205117 6.9 – 5.9 Baby hot hatch with sharp looks and quality interior

Hard to justify extra $12K over excellent VW Polo GTI base

S1 Sportback

11113

May 16 $49,900 (6m) I4/2.0T 1 7 0 / 6000 370/1600all 1340127 5.6813.89 7.1 Cracking pace; involving dynamics; looks quite cool

WithoptionsitcoststhesameasS3,whichmakesno sense

A3 2.0 TFSI quattro

11133

$49,500 (7dc) I4/2.0T 1 4 0 / 6 2 0 0 3 2 0/1250 all 138096 6.8 – 6.6 Quattroaddsall-weathersecurityandpace

Extra 100kg hurts performance and economy

S3 Sportback

11113

Apr 17 $62,900

(6m/7dc)

I4/2.0T 213/6500 380/1800all 1465145 6.2 14.1 6.6 More power and less weight makes S3 faster than ever

Feelsabit‘safe’;westilldon’t get the Euro-spec 221kW

S3 Sedan

11113

Jan 17 $64,500

(6m/7dc)

I4/2.0T 213/6500 380/1800all 1470145 4.8 – 6.5 Sleek looks; compact size; poky performance; value

We’d still have the lighter hatch

S3 Cabriolet

11123

$ 7 2 , 0 0 0 ( 6 d c ) I4/2.0T 213/6200 380/1800all 1635130 5.3 – 6.8 Finally, a good-looking small convertible

Inevitable compromises, but not as many as you’d think

RS3 Sportback

11113

$80,900 (7dc) I5/2.5T 2 9 4 / 7 0 0 0480/1700all 1510195 4.1 – 8.4 Sportback gains alloy five-pot turbo; glorious soundtrack

Haldex all-wheel drive system is front-biased; sedan is cooler

RS3 Sedan

11113

$84,611 (7dc) I5/2.5T 2 9 4 / 7 0 0 0480/1700all 1515194 4.1 – 8.4 Sexier than Sportback; brilliant new turbo-five

Not as involving as BMW M2; adaptive suspension optional

A4 2.0 TFSI uattro Sport

11123

May 16 $69,900 (7dc) I4/2.0T 1 8 5 / 6000 370/1600all 1510122 5.8 – 6.3 Beautiful inside and surprisingly capable

Dynamic driving not really its priority

A4 Avant 2.0TFSI uattro Sport

11123

Aug 16 $72,900 (7dc) I4/2.0T 1 8 5 / 6000 370/1600all 1540120 6.0 – 6.6 Just as capable as sedan but can swallow more stuff

Notassweettodriveasthe3SeriesTouring

S4

11113

Sep 17 $99,611 (8a) V6/3.0T 2 6 0 / 6400 500/1370all 1630159 4.9513.12 11.02

Good looking sedan with balance, grip and stonk

It’s a bit ‘clinically’ fast

S4 Avant

11123

Apr 17 $102,611 (8a) V6/3.0T 2 6 0 / 6400 500/1370all 1675155 4.9 – 7.8 Fantastic sleeper in wagon form

Extra heft isn’t all that welcome

A5 2.0 TFSI Coupe

11123

$81,500 (7dc) I4/2.0T 1 8 5 / 6000 370/1600all 1500123 5.8 – 6.5 Lighter body and more powerful 2.0-litre do design justice

No more manual; $12K pricier than just-as-quick A4 sedan

A5 2.0 TFSI Sportback

11123

$81,500 (7dc) I4/2.0T 1 8 5 / 6000 370/1600all 1535121 6.0 – 6.5 More versatile and better looking than A4 sedan

More expensive and cramped than A4 Avant; slower than coupe

A5 2.0 TFSI Cabriolet

11123

$ 9 5 , 0 0 0 ( 7 d c ) I4/2.0T 1 8 5 / 6000 370/1600all 1710108 6.3 – 6.7 New-generation A5 Cabriolet mostly cures the ills of old

Kerb weight increase as scary as the price hike over A5 Coupe

S5 Co pe

11113

$105,511 (8a) V6/3.0T 2 6 0 / 6400 500/1370all 1615161 4.7 – 7.5 Creamy new turbo V6; great blend of luxury and dynamics

No more power than S4; optional sport diff a must-have

S5 Sportback

11113

July 17 $105,511 (8a) V6/3.0T 2 6 0 / 6400 500/1370all 1660157 4.7 – 7.5 Coupe with back doors and space for three in the rear

Just buy a roomier S4 Avant unless you love frameless doors

S5 Cabriolet

11123

Dec 17 $119,111 (8a) V6/3.0T 2 6 0 / 6400 500/1370all 1840141 5.1 – 7.9 Stronger, swifter than old S5 Cabriolet; now genuinely good

Surprisingly not a lot except ultimate weight increase

RS5

11113

Aug 17 $156,600 (8a) V6/2.9TT311/6700 600/1700all 1730191 3.9 – 8.8 Hard charging new RS5 is also a GT delight

Lacks the old V8 version’s charisma

A6 3.0 TDI Biturbo

11123

$124,855 (8a) V6/3.0TTD235/3900650/1400all 1835123 5.0 – 6.1 Incredible power and torque make this A6 haul

Diesel still lacks performance cred; heavy front end

S6

11123

Jun 15 $170,427 (7dc) V8/4.0TT331/6400 550/1400all 1895175 4.4 – 9.4 Classy, comfortable and bloody quick; huge grunt

Lacks dynamic sparkle; sports exhaust is an option

RS6 Perform nce

11113

Jul 16 $244,827 (8a) V8/4.0TT 4 4 5 / 6800 700(750)

/1750

all 1950228 3.7 – 9.7 A proper looking, fearsomely powerful wagon

Weighs a bit; thirsty when pushed

A7 Sportback 3.0 TDI Biturbo

11123

$144,855 (8a) V6/3.0TTD235/4600650/1450all 1895124 5.2 – 6.1 Brilliant cabin; one of the world’s best diesels

Lacks the excitement of the blown petrol V6

S7 Sportback

11113

Jun 15 $180,427 (7dc) V8/4.0TT331/6400 550/2900all 1955171 4.57 12.69 9.3 Just like the S6 but with added style, inside and out

Huge weight; not the most elegant of dancers

RS7 Performance

11113

$257,426 (8a) V8/4.0TT 4 4 5 / 6800 700(750)

/1750

all 1930231 3.7 – 9.7 Svelte wind-cheating shape; plush air suspension

Feels a bit boaty without optional DRC

Hot Source

Fast guide to quick cars

TOP 3

HOT

HATCHES

Ford Focus RS

$50,990

Handling wizardry

Honda Civic Type R

$50,990

Front-drive phenomenon

3 RD

Alpina beats M5 to

the first punch

BMW’s all-wheel drive

M5 will be thousands

of dollars cheaper than

the old rear-driver, with

the 441kW/750Nm

4.4-litre twin-turbo V8

super sedan arriving

in March 2018 priced

from $199,900 plus

on-roads – or $40K

under the E63 S it

matches with a 3.4sec

0-100km/h and rear-

drive-only mode. Can’t

wait, though? Alpina

can deliver its alternate

B5 Bi-Turbo now, priced

from $239,900 with

447kW/800Nm and a

3.5sec 0-100km/h. Big

decisions ahead for the

executive in a hurry.

VW Golf R

$52,990

The everyday choice

INJECTED!

MODELTESTED PRICE ENGINEKW/RPMNM/RPMDRIVEKERB KGKW/TONNE0-100 KM/H0-400MFUEL CONSPROS & CONS

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